Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5
by Mary Wakefield Buxton –
URBANNA, VA —
In mid-June I began to think I was depressed. Depression is odd, it comes and goes into our lives on the tiny feet of mice. One may not even know he or she is depressed yet, in my case, a red flag is I can’t write, not even a word, as though my ideas and feelings have turned to cement in my brain and cannot find release.
I finally realized social isolation, worry about our business, rioting in our cities and breakdown of law and order in a polarized society (which I blame on extreme partisan politics) had taken its toll.
A friend recommended I start a project that would take my mind off of myself, after all, everyone was suffering in the same way as I was, and so I followed her advice. I decided to take up a cause I had been thinking about for some time and form a nonprofit organization to collect funds to provide more tangible evidence of Black history in Middlesex County. I wanted to acknowledge appreciation for the many contributions of our county’s enslaved labor for several centuries. Later, I wanted to honor civil rights activists, including the “Middlesex 13” who were the first students to desegregate Middlesex High School.
My timing was bad. While I was trying to raise funds to erect a new memorial, monuments were being torn down across the nation. Frankly, no one was in the mood to erect new monuments. A bi-racial committee of advisors recommended the funds go to the Middlesex County Museum, so as not to duplicate research needed to place memorials. I finally agreed and sent the funds to the museum restricted for use only for Black history.
I rated the experience as both “down” and “up.” “Down” because I failed in my original goal, but “up” because of the good exchange of ideas on this sensitive issue both in committee and within the community with my series of three letters to the editor in the Southside Sentinel throughout summer. I very much appreciate the Sentinel for publishing my ideas and especially the ensuing letters of support. I think in time our county will see more memorials to Black history.
Another “up” was … well, I was writing again, which meant my depression had moved on. Which only proves once we get our mind off ourselves and onto more noble causes, we can “self-cure” the proverbial “black dog.”
Summer flew by, as usual, and soon it was the Fourth of July and what turned out to be the hottest week of summer. It was fun to see a parade of about 30 flag and red, white and blue balloon festooned golf carts driving by on Kent Street in one long line celebrating America’s independence from England. I always read the Declaration of Independence each July 4 and I still thrill at the document. I hope students still read the document and memorize the preamble as our generation did.
We wanted to join the Urbanna Creek Yacht Club annual poker run in mid -July, but the continuing 90 degree-plus temperature was just too hot for us. The run consists of a trip to Windmill Point for lunch at the Tiki Bar and stopping at three buoys along the way to pick up a playing card from the “dealer.” The boat with the three best cards wins the hand. Maybe next year.
A real treat came when Lisa Walker from the Agency on Aging came by for a visit with our past dog, “Dasher,” who now goes by the name of “Earl.” He’s a 6-year-old Brittany spaniel that we raised and loved from 8 months to a year and a half. He was a wonderful pet, the first Brittany we have ever owned, (and representative of the most energetic, loveable and intelligent breed we have ever seen), who joined Lisa’s family a year ago to complete her family of three Brittany spaniels.
Lisa is Dasher’s fourth owner. His first owner could not manage him. We had the same problem and we gave him to Debbie and George Longest, who also loved him along with their German shepherd, “Cinder,” and five grandchildren. The Brittany breed is especially great with children and because they are such high energy dogs, they never have any problem keeping up with having fun with children. But then Dasher discovered chickens in the Water View neighborhood and we all know what bird dogs will do with chickens, so they gave him to the Walkers.
“Earl” has now found a terrific lifetime home with two loving adults, a fenced in backyard, lots of toys and two other dogs to offer 24/7 playtime. Seeing him again was an all-American red, white and blue “up!”
Thank you, Lisa!
(“The ups and downs of summer” will be continued next week.)
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